Vintage Minneapolis-St. Paul: the 1980s

[plinko]

This is such a great post. Raw and beautiful, back before you would take 25 shots to get just the right lighting and angle.

[KevinFromTexas]

I love this. I can't describe how excited I get over old photos showing the city. Construction photos are particularly special.

[MplsTodd]

This is what I love about SSP (& similar sites)! Most people I know have their eyes glaze over if I mention looking at cityscape photos (or even worse, slides!). As someone who’s loved cities since I was about 8 (& taken photos of them since I was in junior high) I’ve taken lots of city photos. I’ve always been 8nterested in how cities evolve. When I get a chance, I’ll post more of ‘80s Mpls, plus ‘90s & ‘00s. Watch for other cities as well.
Thanks!

[MplsTodd]

Here's additional photos of Minneapolis:
Hennepin & 7th St, Mpls Dec 1985 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nicollet Mall, Nov 1985 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Future site of Norwest Center & Gavidae, November 1985, Mpls by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Excavation for Lincoln Center, Minneapolis August 1985 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Minneapolis Skyline from Sunset Cemetery, Memorial Day 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Mpls-May83 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr


Railroad Tracks, Warehouse District, Mpls (3/85) by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Vacant block along Nicollet Mall by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Rubble of Andrew's Hotel in 1984, 4th Street & Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking down 5th Street to Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis. With Powers and JC Penney's Department Stores, 1984 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking up Marquette Avenue from IDS Tower, August 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nicollet Mall, during construction of The Conservatory (Upscale Retail Mall), Minneapolis by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Foshay Tower peaking behind IDS Center buildings, Minneapolis August 1987 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Dayton's Department Store, Minneapolis August 1987 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Minneapolis skyline from I-94, Dec 1987 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Norwest Center, Under construction-Dec 1987, Minneapolis by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

"Block E" 600 block of Hennepin Avenue, right before it was torn down, Oct 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Mann Theater, 700 block Hennepin Avenue after closing. - Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hennepin Avenue from 6th Street. After Block E businesses were demolished. Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

IDS Center, Minneapolis May 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Suburban Minneapolis, March 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

St. Louis Park from the air, March 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Looking down LaSalle Avenue from Dayton-Radisson Ramp - Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
LaSalle Plaza under construction, Mpls - Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nicollet Mall storefronts (900 block) - Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[-AX-]

I really enjoyed watching these photos, even though I know nothing about Minneapolis! Thanks for posting them!

[MPLS_Const_Watch]

Always love when you share your old photos. Thanks for posting.

[Buckeye Native 001]

[Matthew]

Thank you for sharing these. It's great seeing construction photographs of the former Norwest Center, which is one of my favorites. If you have any more, please share them!

[IMBY]

Thanks ever so much for those uploads as I lived in Minneapolis from 1972-1993. I lived around Loring Park for awhile, then Cedar Square West for awhile, then 26th & Park, and lastly Eliot Park Condo's near Chicago/10th.

These photo's bring back both good and bad memories. The bad: too many cloudy days!

[MonkeyRonin]

I was just watching Purple Rain a couple days ago, so these were pretty cool to see with 80s Minneapolis still fresh on my mind. Thanks for going to the trouble of scanning all these!

[kool maudit]

Love the aesthetic, doesn't look too different from my '80s childhood in Toronto.

[MplsTodd]

Thanks for all the the comments!!
Ax: You gotta visit Minneapolis sometime----The downtown is generally pretty vibrant, but a bit sterile (due to skyways), but the neighborhoods and lakes are awesome, not to mention the river
Mpls Const Watch: & Thank YOU for posting NEW photos of Mpls!
Buckeye Native: OH! (I've settled into Cbus pretty well)
Matthew: I found a few more photos w Norwest Center and will post them below, along with a few other shots.
IMBY: The funny thing is, Minneapolis seems sunny compared to Columbus (at least in winter)
MonkeyRonin: It took me almost 4 years to scan all my slides, doing it a little at a time. It was my therapy to help me deal with the 2016 election!
Kool Maudit: Toronto has always been one of my favorite cities. While in college, I spent an interim period one January in Toronto studying the city, talking with planners, and spending lots of time at libraries. The transformation from the stodgy "Toronto The Good" era to an ultra cosmopolitan metropolis was evident even back in the early '80s, much more so today.

[MplsTodd]

Minneapolis Skyline--Dec 1987 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Norwest Center, Minneapolis nearing completion May 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

IDS Center and Norwest Center, Oct 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Looking south on Nicollet Mall from NSP Plaza at 5th Street, Mpls - Oct 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

7th Street & 3rd Avenue S, looking at construction site for US Bank Place (now Capella Tower or 225 S 6th St), Minneapolis - Oct 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Second Avenue at 8th Street with Minneapolis Club at right - Oct 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Cherry on the Spoon, Mpls Sculpture Garden, October 1988 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Stone Arch Bridge & Riverplace under construction, June 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hennepin Avenue, Mpls - Dec 1989 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr
Downtown Minneapolis Skyline from Stone Arch Bridge -- August 1979 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Foshay Tower & TCF Tower (under construction), downtown Minneapolis -- December 1979 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis 1984 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

old gas station 3rd Avenue and 10th Street, downtown Minneapolis circa 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Fifth Street, downtown Minneapolis -- Early 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Sue Crossing Sixth Street, Downtown Minneapolis -- Fall 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Pillsbury Center, Minneapolis -- Spring 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Hotel Leamington, Minneapolis by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Minneapolis skyline from University of Minnesota, summer 1983 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

The Uptown Grill, Hennepin Avenue, Mpls Fall 1986 by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

[IMBY]

It's a shame they tore down the Curtis and Leamington Hotels.

[kznyc2k]

AHHHHHH I've come across your photos on Flickr when doing various searches for queries like "1988" or "1989 mall" when trying to get my nostalgia fix, and I'm happy to see the man behind these photos is here on SSP! Your eye and the quality of film is top notch and they really help put me there back in that time and place

And I'll just say that this is my absolute favorite shot of yours... I was born in 1983 in the northeast and the look and FEEL of this scene lines up with my childhood memories perfectly. Love it love it love

[mrnyc]

thanks for the work of doing this.

having been to minneapolis a few times its especially fun to recognize these blocks and areas and to see their past selves.